All-Ukrainian referendum should decide on granting special status to Donbas, - Avakov

Granting the Donbas with a special status should be put to an all-Ukrainian referendum. It is not for two parliamentary factions to decide on such matters.

As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by Interior Minister and People's Front political council member Arsen Avakov in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

"That project should be forgotten as it will never be supported. It is necessary to vote separately for decentralization [excluding special status provisions - ed.]. And then, there is every chance that the bill will be supported," Avakov noted.

Avakov believes that "the good idea of decentralization camouflages the idea of a special status, which is unlikely to receive support within society."

After asked whether it is possible to update the bill so that the special status norm is delayed, he said: "I don't think it's possible. The mere fact of putting this bill on the agenda of a session [in the Verkhovna Rada - ed.] will cause a very serious crisis."

At the same time, Avakov argues that the issue of a special status for the Donbas should be put to a national referendum for the citizens of Ukraine to express their opinion.

"These issues as well as the judicial reform issues should be put to a referendum. However, we've managed to vote the judicial reform, not without a compromise, but still managed, and this is a big plus. And speaking of a special status, let the nation decide. Such matters can not be addressed by one or two factions in the parliament," he stressed.